> Drew - Can you expand on this? I got my start on AO-7 Mode A the first time around ca 1980 using an old Ameco TX-62 I purchased for $40 at the TRW swapmeet and made lots of cross mode CW/SSB contacts. As I recall, this was common place and perfectly acceptable in those days, even encouraged, as lots of beginners had CW only by keying the PTT on their 2M FM.
>> Have times changed? I realize that there aren't a lot of CW ops left these days, but it is still a powerful mode and a good introduction to what can be done with weak signals on a minimal investment. That 10 dB or so SNR advantage really helps.
>> Don't misunderstand, I am not a CW forever guy and try to be mode agnostic, but I do operate as much CW as any other mode. Having said that, I prefer the linear mode satellites, but that is not a CW/voice issue, but rather what I see as a greater utilization of available resources. But I agree that the FM birds have their place, particularly in seducing beginners to the joys of working others through satellites.
>> I too am getting back into satellites after a short hiatus, well maybe a long one, I last worked RS12 on Mode A and K. But a new TS-2000X sits in the shack and I am getting the VHF/UHF antennas back up. Listen for me on CW and SSB. Maybe FM as well. Are any digital modes being used? I recall reports in the AMSAT Journal of some successful Hell QSOs a few years back. - Duffey
> --
>I'm not about to be lured into the CW/SSB debate. In this particular
mode, sharing a single frequency downlink, one really needs to stick
with a single common mode. In this case, this time, it's SSB voice,
except for SKN, when it's CW. To me, mixing CW and SSB on this
particular mode is like mixing SSTV, Voice, and Packet on the regular FM
repeater. That wouldn't go over too well either, as we have seen
recently with HO-68.
Linear transponders are an entirely different animal, and all your prior
experiences hold true there still.
73, Drew KO4MA